Denise Richards calls Charlie Sheen abusive

You know, divorce is
always painful. Regardless of the cliche, it's true. And sometimes divorce is ugly. Especially when there is a custody
battle. And especially when there is suspected abuse.

I have been reading with growing horror and
fascination today about the charges that have come to light from Denise Richards regarding Charlie Sheen's alleged behaviors
toward her and their two daughters. Sheen's camp insists that Richards' seventeen pages of allegations are untrue,
and that he will take the higher road by not responding in kind. It is so hard in these situations to turn away.

And despite the discomfort I feel in this situation, I don't think this is a typical sensationalist story.
Denise Richards first filed for divorce while she was pregnant with her second child. She did not go public with any of
this information at the time. She attempted a reconciliation. I don't think she is attention-seeking. But I do think
that in cases where domestic violence is suspected (even if it is "only" emotional), toward women and
children in particular, that we should pay a quiet attention. Of course Sheen is innocent until proven guilty. What I
am interested in in this situation is not so much the fact that this case has the names of celebrities on it. Because
we can't prove anything.

I am interested in the allegations themselves, because regardless of the man who
commits such acts, and regardless of the women and children who are subjugated to them, they are abusive. And so I
think it's important for women to read these allegations if they are in marriages in which they suspect they and their
children are being treated unjustly. Because if your mate is behaving in any of these ways, then there are resources
available to you. There are victim support agencies, shelters, and restraining orders available to you. All you have to
do is look in the phone book and then make a quiet phone call.

I don't know what to think about the
Richards/Sheen case except that I hope there can be healing for everyone involved.

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I know it may be hard to get out of that kind of relationship, but I have a hard time feeling sorry for her. The whole time, no matter how he's treating her, she's still sleeping with him? Even when he isn't making her? She takes him back and forgives him over and over, even when she knows his past behavior? I think there may be more to this story.

People should take all this info with great care before they make all these publuc judgements and assume the worst of Sheen. Sure we all know he's no angel -- she would have known that better than anyone but still married him (... while we're in the zone of unsubstantiated allegations: I might speculate that his money and status may have well have been the over-riding factor when she made that decision)

This is about overnight visitation rights and, as we all know, custody disputes often get extremely, extremely nasty. And women (as well as men) in these circumstances have been known to make slanderous things up, or exagerate enough to do damage. He's still a fairly big star - hit TV comedy and all - and there's nothing more damaging to someone like that than to trash their public image. We'll never know if the allegations are true but mud sticks either way: "innocent until proven guilty" is dead right

TheTalkies

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